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ALDS Game 2 tidbits: Detroit 5, Oakland 4

ALDS Game 2 tidbits: Detroit 5, Oakland 4

10/7/12: Miguel Cabrera helps lead the Tigers to a 2-0 series lead by going 3-for-5 with a run scored in Game 2

By Alex Angert
/
MLB.com |

A look at some notable facts and figures from the Detroit Tigers' 5-4 walk-off victory over the Oakland A's in Game 2 of the American League Division Series at Comerica Park on Sunday.

 The A's struck out 74 times in 238 at-bats against the Tigers in the regular season and led the league with a franchise-record 1,387 K's. They have struck out 23 times in Games 1 and 2, and Doug Fister struck out a career postseason-high eight batters on Sunday.

 Game 2 hero Don Kelly was batting .318 with the bases loaded in his career with seven hits and a sacrifice fly in 23 plate appearances. He was 3-for-8 with four RBIs when the opportunity came up with one out in the ninth before delivering the walk-off sacrifice fly.

 Miguel Cabrera hit 40 doubles this season, but only twice did he hit at least two in one game compared to five multihomer games. He had a pair of doubles in his first two at-bats Sunday and scored the Tigers' first run after his second.

 The A's committed the third-most errors in the American League during the regular season with 111, and they've had two costly ones in Games 1 and 2. A fielding error by Jarrod Parker gave Detroit the go-ahead run Saturday and an error by Coco Crisp allowed the Tigers to take a lead in the seventh on Sunday.

 Josh Reddick of the A's became the first player in MLB history to strike out in his first six official postseason at-bats. He made up for it in a big way with a go-ahead home run in the eighth.

 Both the Tigers and A's tied the game on wild pitches in the eighth inning off relievers who seldom threw them in 144 1/3 combined innings in the regular season. Detroit's Joaquin Benoit had thrown just two wild pitches this year, while Oakland's Ryan Cook threw only four. According to STATS LLC, it was the first time in postseason history that both teams scored tying runs in the same inning on wild pitches.

 Benoit had given up 14 homers this year, which was the second-most among relievers in the Majors behind Livan Hernandez's 15. He had given up three game-tying and three go-ahead homers in the regular season for the Tigers, who were 72-7 after leading after seven innings. They were a perfect 77-0 in 2011.

 Cabrera has 10 postseason extra-base hits with Detroit, tied for the second most in franchise history with Pete Fox. Cabrera trails Hank Greenberg (14) on the all-time list. He has also reached safely in all 13 of his postseason games with the Tigers. That trails Charlie Gehringer (16) and Greenberg (18).

 In 104 1/3 innings playing right field in his young MLB career, Avisail Garcia had never thrown out a baserunner. He threw out Crisp at home in the third inning. His only outfield assist had come while playing left field, where he logged just 11 innings. He had 49 assists in 460 Minor League games as a right fielder.

 Crisp had only been thrown out trying to advance on base twice this season -- not including pickoffs, caught stealing or force plays. He had only been thrown out 35 times in his 11-year career.

 Cliff Pennington came into the game batting 1-for-21 off Fister. He went 0-for-10, then got a hit Aug. 9, 2010, and went 0-for-10 again. To continue the trend, he got a hit in his first at-bat against Fister in the third.

Alex Angert is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.